Good Times (TV Series) A Friend in Need (1977) User Reviews

JJ and the attempted suicide

[kevinolzak · 8/10 · 21 December 2016]

"A Friend in Need" shows that the series could still produce a serious episode along the lines of previous classics. With Florida away the offspring will play, throwing a party with music and refreshments but without adult supervision. The surprise guest is basketball star Robert Simpson (Ralph Wilcox), whose outlook on life has taken a downward spiral since he flunked out of school and was cut from the team the week before. He confides in JJ and doesn't want anyone else to know the truth, but when his girlfriend Ellen (Debbi Morgan) shows up with another date it's too much for him to have lost both his girl and his athletic dream. After the last guest leaves, Robert is found locked in the bathroom, having swallowed an entire bottle of pills in a desperate suicide attempt. Michael knows that the way to help such a case is to keep the victim alert and moving, while JJ has the answer to make him throw up: "Thelma, cook something!" The serious transformation of JJ found the perfect vehicle with this episode, one of the best from this fourth season. This was the second and final appearance of Ta-Ronce Allen as Michael's girlfriend Yvonne, introduced in "Michael's Great Romance."

Great episode

[Tina_jeppesen · 9/10 · 20 February 2024]

Good Times addressing suicide the way it did was really good. Showing in my opinion Jimmie Walker can act. I always thought he could but some of those things he says to his friend trying to keep him alert are really interesting & he truly sounds panicked. It was a different approach to addressing suicide and one I haven't seen in other tv shows especially at that time. Not too serious & didn't get into it too deeply yet enough to make someone think twice about A) all they have to live for B) how close you can come to dying and how he almost would not have came out of it if not for JJ keeping him alert & moving & calling the ambulance. Showed "JJs" caring side too without seeming forced.

Sad situation!

[ebamjr · 4/10 · 20 February 2024]

While I understand that this is supposed to be a comedy I can't find anything funny about trying to commit suicide! Yes I know that it takes place in another time and now it's a whole lot different with more talking about depression and such! Still I was growing up around that time and have dealt with depression all my life! Either way I don't find anything funny about suicide! I can see that trying to make "light" of the situation was written in the script for J. J.'s benefit of being funny! The actor that played the "washed up" basketball star was good in the way he performed being someone that just took an overdose! Too bad the story just stopped there and didn't continue in the next episode! But most of the episodes never did get a real ending!